(debian-policy.info)Standards conformance

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4.1 Standards conformance
=========================

Source packages should specify the most recent version number of this
policy document with which your package complied when it was last
updated.

The version is specified in the ‘Standards-Version’ control field.  The
format of the ‘Standards-Version’ field is described in Note:
Standards-Version.

For a package to have an old Standards-Version value is not `itself' a
bug, however.  It just means that no-one has yet reviewed the package
with changes to the standards in mind.

When updating existing packaging, the Standards-Version must not be
updated except after reviewing the changes between the old and the new
versions of the standards and updating your package if necessary (the
Note: Upgrading checklist. can help with this task).

A very old Standards-Version can mean that infelicities in the package
are likely.  It is recommended that each package be reviewed at least
once per Debian release, so a Standards-Version older than the previous
Debian release is indicative of work (if only review work) that needs
doing.